Part 1 :Select one of the stories assigned by your instructor, and develop a one- or two-paragraph response to the following:
Theme refers to the underlying messages or major ideas presented in the story. The author presents some belief about life by telling the story in a certain way. You, as the reader, can interpret what message you received from reading the story, but you must be able to offer evidence to support your viewpoint by sharing examples and quotations from the story.
Tips: Remember to provide evidence for your claims in the form of quoted passages from the story. Quotations, paraphrases, and summaries should be cited according to APA rules of style, including in-text and reference citations. Quoted material should not exceed 25% of the document.
Example APA Reference from the eBook
Welty, E. (2016). A worn path. In L.G. Kirszner & S.R. Mandell (Eds.), Compact Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing [VitalSource digital version] (pp. 464-469). Boston: Cengage.
Part 2: Compose an analytical essay of at least 1,200 words in which you offer an interpretation of a literary element in one of the assigned short stories. Write your analysis focusing on one of the following elements in one of the assigned stories:
Start by selecting one of the short stories assigned by your instructor. Brainstorm to identify the literary element that you would like to explore in the story. Choose from character, theme, symbolism, imagery, or setting. Then, develop a thesis that offers a specific interpretation of this element. If you have trouble coming up with a thesis, contact your instructor, who will help you. Do not do any outside research at this point. When finished, the draft should be at least 1,200 words (approximately four double-spaced pages). Use APA formatting and citations.
NOTE: Your instructor may allow you to combine two literary elements in your thesis statement if they work together to support your point. Also, your instructor may allow you to compare or contrast some element in two of the assigned stories (e.g., the grandmother characters in “A Worn Path†and “A Good Man Is Hard to Findâ€). Ask for approval before beginning one of these approaches.
Tips for the Essay
APA Reminder
Use APA style for formatting the essay and for source citations. Begin with a title page. Include a running header, and use proper font and spacing. End with a separate references page. Refer to the Week 1 lecture on avoiding plagiarism for an APA essay template and additional resources.